1.Introduction What is a bone spur? A bone spur (osteophyte) is a bony growth formed on normal bone. Most people think of something sharp when they think of a spur,?but a bone spur is just extra bone. It's usually smooth, but it can cause wear and tear or pain if it presses or rubs on other bones or soft tissues such as ligaments or tendons in the body. Common places for bone spurs include the spine, shoulders, hands, hips, knees, and feet.

2.What are the symptoms?Many people have bone spurs without ever knowing it, because most bone spurs cause no symptoms. However, if they are pressing on other bones or tissues or are causing a muscle or tendon to rub, they can break that tissue down over time, causing swelling, pain, and tearing. Bone spurs in the foot can also cause corns and calluses when tissue builds up to provide added padding over the bone spur.

3.ComplicationsBone spurs can break off from the larger bone, becoming what doctors call loose bodies. Often bone spurs that have become loose bodies will float in your joint or become embedded in the lining of the joint (synovium).Loose bodies can drift into the areas in between the bones that make up your joint, getting in the way and causing intermittent locking — a sensation that something is preventing you from moving your joint. This joint locking can come and go as the loose bodies move into and out of the way of your joint.

4.How to Prevent spurMaintaining a healthy body weight and reducing stress on one's joints are steps individuals can take to reduce the chance of bone spurs. Exercises which work the muscles of the whole body, such as walking, biking, swimming, and tennis, are recommended for weight loss and muscle strength.